1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to computer systems and computer software. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing electronic rebates.
2. Background of the Related Art
Companies and manufacturers often use promotions to increase sales of its products. One common type of promotion is to provide a rebate to a purchaser of a particular product. Initially, the customer purchases an item or product. To claim the rebate, a customer must complete a rebate form, obtain proof of purchase information, e.g., a receipt and product code, and submit the rebate for processing. The customer waits for the rebate, while the company receives the rebate request, validates the rebate and issues a check to the customer. The customer then cashes the issued check from the company.
Although the rebate claim process enables a company to sell more products and a customer to purchase a product at a cheaper price, there are some disadvantages to this rebate process. For example, the current rebate process often takes a long time, e.g., often eight to twelve weeks, to complete. The customer is also required to obtain the original sales receipt, the product code and complete a rebate form prior to submitting the rebate claim. Moreover, the company must have employees to process and validate the rebates as well as issuing rebate checks.
Therefore, a need exists in the art to provide a solution for processing rebates without the disadvantages associated with the current processing of rebates.